Case for a reel



March 7, 1967v @HUMAN 3,307,689

CASE FOR A REEL Filed Sept. l, 1965 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,307,689 CASE FOR A REEL George F: Lyman, South Hadley, Mass., assignor to Data Packaging Corp., Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 484,314 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-52) This invention relates to tape and lm reel cases and more particularly comprises a new and improved case that provides a sealed chamber for a reel and includes a convenient, inexpensive lock for maintaining the case closed and sealed about the reel.

There are now several manufacturers who make cases for tape and reels. One of the considerations in evaluating the merits of a particular case is the convenience of operation of the locking mechanism forming a part thereof. At the present time most such cases include as a part of the locking mechanism a handle in the center of the cover, which is rotated to lock and unlock the case. These locks regularly include an expandable grommet which is expanded when the handle is turned in one direction to lock the cover of the case to the bottom tray, and when the handle is turned in the other direction the grommet is relaxed and decreases in size so as to release the cover from the bottom tray. While these locks are effective, they are not altogether convenient. They often require the operator to hold the case with one hand while he turns the handle with the other, and it is sometimes diiiicult to determined whether or not the handle has been f-ully turned to either of its extreme positions to firmly lock or free the cover from the bottom tray.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a lock for a reel case which allows the operator in a single motion, using only one hand, to unlock the case and lift the cover from the bottom tray.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a lock for a reel case which has a minimum number of parts and which may be made most inexpensively.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a lock for a reel case which generates a minimum amount of flecks so as not to contaminate the tape stored on a reel packaged Within the case, or otherwise cause drop-outs or malfunctioning of the equipment upon which the tape is used. Many of the cases which are now on the market include locks Which create a great deal of friction when the handle is turned so as to generate particles, and unless the locks are made so as to completely enclose such parts, they generate particles that may contaminate the tape. v

To accomplish these and other objects, the case of the present invention includes among its features a cover and a bottom tray. A well is provided in the central portion of the cover within which is disposed a handle grip. The handle grip is hollow and an opening in the bottom of the well communicates with the hollow portion of the handle. A stud is secured to the bottom tray and extends through the opening when the case is closed. Means are disposed in the hollow handle, biased to a condition to releasably grip the stud when the case is closed. A button provided on the handle is operatively connected to the means within the handle, which button when depressed moves the means to a condition against its bias causing the means to release the stud so that the case may be opened.

These and other objects and features of this invention along with its incident advantages will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a reel case constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the section line 2-2 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 with a part removed to expose the interior of the handle.

The reel case shown in the drawing includes a cover 10 and a bottom tray 12 which are releasably secured together by the locking mechanism 14. The cover 10 and the bottom tray 12 have a pair of overlapping skirts 16 and 18, respectively, at their peripheries, which cooperate to form a seal at the periphery of the case with the assistance of a gasket 20.

The bottom tray 12 is provided with an inverted well 22 at its center defined by a generally horizontal wall 24 and a cylindrical wall 26. A rubber gasket 28 angleshaped in cross section sits within the bottom tray 12 about the base of the cylindrical wall 26 to engage the lower corner of the hub of the reel 30 disposed on the bottom tray. A similar well 32 is provided in the cover, whi-ch well is composed of a Cylindrical wall 34 and a bottom wall 36. A gasket 38 like gasket 28 surrounds the top of the cylindrical wall 34 `and engages the upper corner of the hub of the reel 30 so that when the case is closed as shown in FIG. 2, the gaskets 28 and 38 engage the hub to securely hold the reel 30 in place, with the sides free of contact with the walls of the cover and bottom tray.

A handle grip is formed in the Well 32 and is defined by a pair of parallel vertical Walls 40 and a top wall 42, each of which extends across the well 32 in the cover 10. The top wall 42, side walls 40 and the bottom wall 36 of the well 32 together dene a chamber 43 which contains a major portion of the locking mechanism 14. In FIG. 2

a stud 44 is shown to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the circular wall 24 of the well 22 in the bottom tray, which stud is preferably enclosed in a rubber sleeve 46. The stud with its sleeve extends through an opening 48 in the bottom wall 36 of the well 32 in the cover between the parallel walls 40 so that the stud lies in the chamber 43.

A plate 50 is pivotally supported in t-he chamber 43 on the lower margin 52 of slot 56 `in partition 54. It is evident in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the plate 50 extends through that slot. An actuating button 58 is carried on the right side of the plate 50 as viewed in FIG. 2, and the button is exposed through an opening 60 provided in the top wall 42 of the handle.

The plate Sti is biased to an inclined position by a leaf spring 62 secured to the bottom wall 36 of the well by fastener 64. The right end 66 of the leaf spring overlaps the left end 68 of the plate to perform this function.

A hole 70 is provided in the plate 50, through which the stud 44 extends when the cover 10 is placed on the bottom tray 12. The hole 70 is just slightly larger in diameter than the rubber sleeve 46 on the stud 44, and when the plate 50 is in the horizontal position (so positioned against the bias of the spring 62) the hole 70 in the stud 74 are coaxial. However, when the plate 50 moves to the biased position under the inuence of the spring 62, the hole '70 moves to the right with respect to the stud 44 as viewed in FIG. 2, and the margin of the hole bears against the rub-ber covering. The button actuator 58 which extends through the opening 60 in the top Wall 42 of the handle is used to move the plate 50 against the bias so as to orient the plate in the horizontal position. A stop '72 mounted on the bottom wall 36 of the well 32 in the cover limits the actuation of the plate by the button 58 to as to achieve the horizontal orientation of t-he plate 50.

It will be appreciated that when the cover is placed on the bottom tray 12 with the button 58 released, the rubber-coated stud 44 will pass through the openin-gs 48 and 70, although it will dra-g along the margin of the hole 70 on the left side as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. Because of t-he inclination of the plate 50, this action will not seriously impede the movement of the rubber-coated stud through the hole 7i). When the case is fully closed, with the skirt 16 seated on the gasket 20 of the bottom tray, the reel 30 disposed in the case and supported on the gaskets 28 and 38 will be held firmly in position and be protected within the case. The cover cannot be lifted from the bottom tray 12 without pressing button 58 because movement of the stud 44 downwardly with respect to the plate Si) as viewed in FIG. 2 causes the margin of the hole 70 in the plate to bite into the rubber sleeve on the stud, and the inclination of the plate will serve to resist any sliding of the rubber over the margin. When the user wishes to open the case, he may conveniently grasp the side walls 40 of the handle formed in the well and with -one nger depress the button 58. As ythe button 58 is depressed, the plate 50 pivots clockwise as shown in FIG. 2 through a few degrees so as to align the hole 70 in the plate with the .rubber-covered stud. When they are aligned with one another, the margin of the hole 70 is freed from the rubber cover, and the operator may therefore merely lift the cover orf the bottom tray.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will appreciate that the many objects of this invention set forth in the introduction are achieved with the construction shown. The Well molded as an integral part of the cover may include as an integral part of itself the partition 54 and the side walls 4t). Therefore, the locking mechanism in the cover only calls for the addition of the spring 62, the plate St? with its button 58 and the top plate 42. The parts may be assembled very readily at minimal expense. It is only necessary to add to the base or bottom tray 12 the rubber cover 46 on the stud 44 which in turn is or may be molded as an integral part of the bottom wall 24 of the well 22 in the bottom tray. To open the case, a simple depression of the button 58 is required, which may be done simultaneously with the lifting of the cover l). It -is unnecessary to hold the bottom tray -12 down or prevent it from spinning with the other hand while the one hand grasps the handle and depresses the button and simultaneously lifts the cover. There are no rotating parts which require lubrication or special materials to reduce friction.

Because numerous modifications may be made of this invention without departing from its spirit, it is not intended to limit the breadth of this invention to the single embodiment illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. A case for a tape reel comprising a bottom tray and a cover,

a stud extending upwardly from the center of the bottom tray,

a cylindrical well in the central portion of the cover having a lower wall and surrounding cylindrical wall,

a pair of spaced parallel walls extending transversely across the well and defining a handle grip,

a central aperture provided in the bottom wall of the well between the Walls and through which the stud extends when the cover and bottom tray are closed,

a plate pivotally mounted in the handle grip and having a portion which is inclined to the axis of the aperture when the plate is in its biased position,

a circular hole in said portion `of the plate just exceeding the diameter of the stud and concentric with the stud and aperture when the cover and bottom tray are closed and the plate is moved from its biased position so that said portion is perpendicular to the stud and aperture axis,

a spring secured to the cover and engaging the plate and imposing the bias thereon,

a grip cover plate secured to the edges of the parallel walls and having an opening therein displaced from the axis of the stud and aperture when the case is closed,

and an actuating button secured to the plate and exposed through the opening in the grip cover plate which may be depressed for pivoting the plate from its biased position to a position wherein said portion is perpendicular to the stud to align the hole 4in the plate with t-he stud, the margin 0f the hole binding on the stud when the plate is in the biased position.

2. A case for a tape reel comprisin-g a bottom tray and a cover,

a well in the central portion of the cover,

a hollow handle grip extending across the well,

an opening in the bottom of the well and communicating with the inside of the handle,

a stud secured to the bottom tray and extending through the opening and terminating in the handle when the case is closed,

means disposed in the hollow handle biased to a condition to releasably grip the stud When the case is closed,

and a button on the handle adapted to be depressed when the handle is grasped for overcoming the bias of the last-named means causing it to release the stud so that the case may be opened.

3. A case for a tape reel as defined in claim 1 further characaterized by said stud being disposed at the center of the bottom tray and said button being displaced radially from the axis of the stud.

4. A case for a tape reel as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said means including a plate having a hole therein substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of the stud and which is aligned with the stud when the button is depressed, the margin of the hole gripping the stud when the plate is in its biased condition.

5. A reel case comprising a bottom tray and cover having mating peripheral skirts for forming a sealed container when the two are closed,

a hollow chamber formed on the cover,

a hole formed on the inside surface fo the cover and opening into the chamber,

a stud secured to the bottom tray and extending through the hole into the chamber when the case is closed,

a gripping device disposed in the hollow chamber and biased to a condition to hold said stud when the. case is closed,

and a depressible actuator mounted and exposed on the outside of the cover and connected to the gripping. device for moving the gripping device against its bias to release the stud when the .actuator is depressed.

6. A reel case as dened in claim 5 further characterized by said `gripping device including a plate having an opening there in through which the stud extends when the case is closed,

said opening having a margin which bears against the stud to prevent Withdrawal of the stud when the plate is in its biased condition,

said margin moving away from the stud when the actuator is depressed.

6 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 686,271 1'1/ 190-1 Dillenbeck et a1 292-87 2,996,178 8/1961 Forrest 206-52 3,154,193 10/1964 Alden 206-52 3,244,444 4/ 1966 Bisbing 292-306 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CASE FOR A TAPE REEL COMPRISING A BOTTOM TRAY AND A COVER, A STUD EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM TRAY, A CYLINDRICAL WELL IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE COVER HAVING A LOWER WALL AND SURROUNDING CYLINDRICAL WALL, A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL WALLS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE WELL AND DEFINING A HANDLE GRIP, A CENTRAL APERTURE PROVIDED IN THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE WELL BETWEEN THE WALLS AND THROUGH WHICH THE STUD EXTENDS WHEN THE COVER AND BOTTOM TRAY ARE CLOSED, A PLATE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE HANDLE GRIP AND HAVING A PORTION WHICH IS INCLINED TO THE AXIS OF THE APERTURE WHEN THE PLATE IS IN ITS BIASED POSITION, A CIRCULAR HOLE IN SAID PORTION OF THE PLATE JUST EXCEEDING THE DIAMETER OF THE STUD AND CONCENTRIC WITH THE STUD AND APERTURE WHEN THE COVER AND BOTTOM TRAY ARE CLOSED AND THE PLATE IS MOVED FROM ITS BIASED POSITION SO THAT SAID PORTION IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE STUD AND APERTURE AXIS, A SPRING SECURED TO THE COVER AND ENGAGING THE PLATE AND IMPOSING THE BIAS THEREON, A GRIP COVER PLATE SECURED TO THE EDGES OF THE PARALLEL WALLS AND HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN DISPLACED FROM THE AXIS OF THE STUD AND APERTURE WHEN THE CASE IS CLOSED, AND AN ACTUATING BUTTON SECURED TO THE PLATE AND EXPOSED THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE GRIP COVER PLATE WHICH MAY BE DEPRESSED FOR PIVOTING THE PLATE FROM ITS BIASED POSITION TO A POSITION WHEREIN SAID PORTION IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE STUD TO ALIGN THE HOLE IN THE PLATE WITH THE STUD, THE MARGIN OF THE HOLE BINDING ON THE STUD WHEN THE PLATE IS IN THE BIASED POSITION. 